Raw Pumpkin Spice Latte

Did you know the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is 10 years old this fall? It sure feels like it has been around longer than that, probably because I have a vague recollection of having a pumpkin spice latte when I was in college –  maybe at Trident’s though I suspect, more likely, at  a coffee shop down the street from that where I made the realization that raspberry mochas are terrible. Sort of like a fruity carpet mixed into coffee. Ok, maybe not, but I have never had a raspberry mocha since, despite loving the combination of chocolate and raspberries, just not with coffee. 

So coffee, yes – it’s been a while. I must have tried the Starbucks PSL that fall because once upon a time, Starbucks was most definitely my happy place.  I always knew what the seasonal drinks were, and which pastries were new.  Come to think of it, I seem to remember the PSL fall was also the fall the Peppermint Hot Cocoa came out, and I do remember being obsessed with that … but anyways, these days – well pastries at Starbucks are not really made for those of us who eat gluten-free and vegan and coffee and I … well, it’s been a while.

Without getting too #firstworldproblems on you, though, a note on nostalgia, and food nostalgia in particular.  Things change. Life changes. Memories get filed away, sometimes forgotten, sometime re-remembered. Food memories are amongst the most evocative for me. When I started writing this post, I could not remember anything Starbucks-related about Fall 2003, and  wrote above “I must have tried the Starbucks PSL” and then I remembered the Peppermint Hot Cocoa, and how I kept having a quandary about which of the two to order that fall.  These days though, I do not drink coffee, I gave up dairy completely a few years ago, and flavor syrups are the type of ingredient where there could be hidden gluten, so I never get these types of flavored drinks anymore – I could not even tell you the last time I had a Starbucks PSL.    

The pumpkin spice latte below is very different than the Starbucks one – it is inspired by Goûter here in Washington, DC. I first discovered Goûter last year but the Goûter pumpkin spice latte is a 2013 addition to the line-up. I sampled it at VegFest (note to self, must tell you about the fun stuff I tried there) back in September, where V, the owner of Goûter, told me all about the ingredients they use, including Junius cold-brew coffee and homemade almond milk.  Inspired by the above, I set out to recreate a pumpkin spice latte-like beverage, minus the coffee. Turns out I was out of almonds, so I went with a hemp seed base, and played around with varying ratios of cacao nibs and/or carob.  The result is lovely on its own, but would also make a great base for a smoothie (add a banana and some protein powder) and also, a great chia pudding base – you would just add about 3 tablespoons of chia seeds to a cup of the “latte”

Raw Pumpkin Spice Latte (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Soy-Free, Nut-Free)
Makes about 4 cups. I would call that 2-3 generous servings.

This latte is technically high-raw rather than fully raw – the carob is roasted as is the pumpkin spice mix. but feel free to substitute both with raw ingredients for a completely raw latte.  That said, the rosated carob adds that slight roasted smokiness of coffee, so I find it a worthy addition, particularly when combined with the cacao nibs.

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup raw hulled hemp seeds
• 2 tablespoons raw cacao nibs 
• 4-8 pitted dates (I thought 6 was just right, but feel free to adjust to your taste)
• 1 tablespoon roasted carob
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice plus more for garnish
• Tiny pinch of salt
• Liquid sweetener of your choice, to taste (optional)

Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender.  Chill a couple of hours (overnight is best), stir well as the spices tend to settle, and serve.

A few last notes: if you chop the dates beforehand, a regular blender should do the job just as well as a high speed blender. Or, feel free to substitute a liquid sweetener of your choice.  I see no reason why you could not heat this for a more authentic experience, but I really love the flavor of this beverage cold. And finally, while this is thick beverage that has a tendency to separate, it is not worth straining it – I tried and found the flavor got lost.

I am going to submit this to my friend Heather’s weekly event, Raw Foods Thursdays at Gluten-Free Cat. I got to meet Heather this summer, and she is fantastic.  Be sure to check out her raw and cooked recipes.  I have cooked from her blog for over three years – and have been honored that she has cooked recipes from mine and guest-blogged here as well.